The Dictionary
by Enchantress Nova
Summary: A young Severus seeks understanding of his family with the Dictionary. Oneshot and contains mentions of Domestic problems. My first real drabble.


The Dictionary

By Enchantress Nova

Definition of Mother:

Literal: A female parent

Verb: To treat a person with great kindness and love and to try to protect them from anything dangerous or difficult

Noun 1: The title of a woman who is in charge of, or who has a high rank within, a convent

Noun 2: The woman who gave birth to a child

Noun 3: a woman who seems full of emotional and spiritual understanding, and seems suited to having and loving children

Noun 4: a woman who you feel you can ask for help, support or advice (a mother figure)

To Severus Snape, Eileen Prince, his mother, had been her instated role, she had been the mother while she lived...it was only unfortunate the Dictionary's words told these female wonders as being immortal. Indestructible. To always be there, to never leave or be taken away...to not die.

Definition of Father:

Literal: A male parent

Verb: To become the father of a child by making a woman pregnant

Noun 1: A male whose genetic material is passed on by sexual intercourse and fertilization of an egg

Noun 2: An older man who you treat like a father, especially by asking for his advice, help or support (a father figure)

To Severus Snape, Tobias Snape, his father, had failed to meet one certain Noun – by no means was he the 'father figure'. The man had been a tyrant; Severus could handle his father being a muggle, Hell his best friend was a muggle-born , he couldn't care less...but the man was closed minded, he loathed the 'freak' happenings, condemned the 'fanciful' potentials for Severus' life, and ultimately regretted Severus for who he was. His father was a beast, next Severus felt he should look up 'husband' in the Dictionary, just to see how any promise made to his mother had been grotesquely stripped from her.

It was then the boy looked up 'son' in the Dictionary...

Definition of Son:

Literal: Your male child

Noun 1: A male born from a mother

Noun 2: An infant or young person who seeks guidance from older and more experienced people (usually the 'parents')

Noun 3: A male child who loves his procreators (parents) and learns to imitate them to become his own person

Severus looked at this, the literal and the first noun were correct and factual, this, all boys were under this meaning...however the final two sparked much thought. Severus did seek guidance, he _seeked_ it, and until the age of seven he had received it from his mother, his father, the only loud shadow he had ever come across, had left the care of their son to her. Eileen's death had only served to make this shadow of a man louder, angrier and more resentful.

Noun 3, a risky definition, so much so it could ignite anger with the wrong person. Severus felt that this definition only half applied to him, he loved one parent, he imitated her discreet love of magic, her elegant and regal presentation of herself and her quiet yet resourceful nature. Severus learned from his father's behavior what to stay away from, to not become so bitter the slightest trace of joy makes you rage, the closed minded horror of ignorance...alcohol...pushing people away...it's that slippery slope.

Severus could only hope that his father didn't drag him down to his level, create him again by the loss of his mother and the fear of dominant anger in his life, for when he seeks guidance it lands with the right person.

The boy's dark eyes looked to an extension of the definition, it called to him:

Definition of term 'Prodigal Son':

A man or boy who has left his family in order to do something that the family disapprove of and has now returned home feeling sorry for what he has done

Simple enough. But again, this only half applied to the dark haired wizard.

Severus' only family was Tobias, the man disapproved of the magic world as Severus would venture out to make whatever he could of himself...but the main difference...the big difference...Severus would not be returning to Tobias...and he would not feel sorry.

Tobias could drop dead.


End file.
